


Birds Don't Just Fly

by Lelarin



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Missing Scene, One Shot, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 19:50:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7814833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lelarin/pseuds/Lelarin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing Scene between the arrest of Bellwether and Nick's graduation.</p><p>When Nick leaves for the Police Academy, Judy shows up at the train station to wish him well, and to return something he lent to her. </p><p>Nick needs Judy to believe in him, and she comes through.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birds Don't Just Fly

**Author's Note:**

> "Birds don't just fly, they fall down and get up.  
> Nobody learns without getting it wrong.
> 
> I won't give up, no I won't give in  
> 'Til I reach the end and then I'll start again."
> 
> -Try Everything

Nick had never turned up early to anything in his life, but today he kept checking the train station clock against the time stamped on his ticket. The Police Academy was outside the city and if he missed this train, he’d have to wait until tomorrow for the next one. He didn’t think missing his first day of training was really an option. Nick eyed the big station clock again and then pulled out his phone to make sure time was actually passing as slowly as he thought.

_Eight minutes._

He stuffed the phone back into his pocket and slouched against the station wall, eyes half-lidded as he watched for the approaching train. Absently, he pawed the edge of the ticket waiting quietly in his other pocket.

“Nick!”

His ears fell back in surprise at Judy’s voice. He turned to see her waving at him from down the platform, a huge smile spread across her muzzle.

“Carrots? I thought you had a double shift today,” Nick looked her up and down as she bounded up to him. She was, in fact, still in her uniform. She’d been reissued the same badge number after Bellwether’s arrest and the shield gleamed against her dark blue vest. “Shirking your duties, officer?” he asked with a crooked grin.

“I’m on my lunch break!” Judy told him, defensive. “I had to come see you off. You’re going to be away for months,” she said and gave him a playful punch on the arm.

“Ouch!” Nick rubbed his arm in fake injury. “You know, if you’ve just come to abuse me, I will bid you good day, Officer.”

“Do you have everything you need?” Judy plowed ahead, ignoring his act, and reached for his duffel. Nick intercepted her with a swift paw and an eyeroll.

“Yes, Carrots, I am perfectly capable of packing a bag for myself. Thanks,” he shouldered the bag before she dug through his unmentionables right there on the platform. Judy smiled, ears up, and cocked her hip at him. 

“Oh, I’m sure you can,” she said with just a hint of condescension, “I just thought you might be missing this,” and she pulled his old red handkerchief from a pouch on her belt and held it out to him.

“Oh,” Nick said, ears pricking forward, “uh… thanks.” He reached out to take it from her, but Judy didn’t let it go, even when he tugged gently on the cloth.  
“I know how important this is to you. Thanks for lending it to me.” Judy was looking straight into his eyes as she raised her right paw in the Junior Ranger Scouts salute. Embarrassed, he yanked the neckerchief from her and looked away, checking the station clock again.

_Six minutes._

“This old thing?” he blustered, staring at the clock, “I’m not even sure why you bothered, Fluff!” But he turned slightly away from her to hide how his left paw was clutching the memento.

Of course Judy’d notice the Ranger Scouts insignia around the edge of the fabric, faded as it was. Nick hadn’t been thinking about his nostalgia when he had tied it around her leg in the museum; he’d only been thinking about the bright red of the blood seeping from her wound and _I’m not leaving you behind_. He rubbed the fabric between his pads thoughtfully and looked discretely for a stain; she’d had it professionally cleaned for him, so no trace of her remained.

“Oh, Nick,” Judy said with such fondness that Nick straightened to his full height so he could look down his snout at her, his eyes hooded once more. He schooled his face into careful blandness as he shoved his paws deep into his pockets, his left one still fisted around the last remaining piece of his old uniform. “You’re going to be an amazing cop,” she went on, and disarmed him completely.

Nick’s eyes went wide, his ears lay back, his shoulders slouched even further, and he leaned down towards her, only slightly desperate. “Carrots…”

Judy put her paw on his forearm and he thought of that night in the SkyCar, so many weeks ago. He didn’t sidle away this time. “You’re going to be great, Nick.” Judy’s eyes were earnest, her smile true. Nick leaned even closer to her.

“Carrots--” he stopped. Swallowed. “Carrots, I don’t know if… What if I--?”

“Nick,” she almost laughed at him, “you’ll be fine. You’ve already done better police work than half the mammals on the force. The Academy will be a breeze!” She squeezed his arm firmly. Nick wasn’t even trying to pretend that he wasn’t desperate anymore. He craved her reassurance, her benediction. He could hear the train coming, now. His time was almost up. He pulled his paws from his pockets and grabbed both her arms.

“Judy. I’m just—I’m just…” he couldn’t say it after all. Couldn’t admit that he was afraid, “…a dumb fox,” he finished, rueful. He looked down at the platform and stopped himself from scuffing his footpads along the grey cement. Nick wanted so badly to slip away right now and pretend joining the Academy was all a joke, just some elaborate hustle. 

He gripped Judy’s arms and anchored his feet.

“Nicholas Wilde,” Judy said gently. He looked up, searched her eyes for strength. ”You are the bravest, most loyal, most helpful…” Nick’s throat clenched a little, anticipating the end of the oath “…and the most trustworthy mammal I know.” Judy was holding him steady, paws on both of his arms in a perfect mirror of his stance. Her face was so relaxed, so assured, Nick felt her calm seep into his skin and down his spine. He straightened, just a little, and the train rumbled up to the platform. “I can’t wait to work with you.” She beamed a smile at him and it took Nick a few seconds to realize that he was smiling back at her.

They stood there together for a long moment. The train doors slid open. Mammals of all sizes filed out and greeted family and friends. Others who had been waiting collected their baggage and began making their way to their seats, some lingered to press hugs to loved ones or wave from the doorways of the train. Nick stayed where he was and focused on Judy’s strong grip on his arms and the kind look in her eyes. He felt the world rotate around them.

“You’re going to miss your train, partner,” Judy said carefully. She squeezed his biceps and he drew in a deep breath, straightening to his full height again. Their hands fell away from each other and Nick adjusted the duffel bag on his shoulder. 

“Well,” Nick exhaled, “Stay out of trouble, Carrots. I won’t be around to bail you out for a while.”

She laughed at him, a little wetly. He spotted tears waiting in the corners of her big bunny eyes.

“I’ll try,” she told him, and rubbed at her nose with the back of her paw.

“You will not!” he accused and poked a claw at her badge, “You are a born troublemaker, Fluff.”

“Get going, you dumb fox,” Judy gave him a little shove toward the train.

“All right, all right, officer, I’m going!” Nick took three steps toward the train, paws up in mock surrender. He heard Judy sniffle behind him and stopped, letting his bag drop to the platform.

“Nick?” Judy fussed, worried he was getting cold paws.

Nick strode back to Judy and scooped her off the ground into a hug, squeezing his strong arms around her waist. She was stiff with shock for a moment before her arms wrapped around his back, paws between his shoulder blades. Her chin settled on top of his shoulder; her feet dangled somewhere above his knees.

“Thank you, Judy,” Nick said so softly, she almost didn’t hear. She squeezed him tighter.

“I’m going to miss you, Nick.” 

He set her back down carefully and stepped backwards to grab his duffel.

“Of course you are, darling,” he said with a cheeky wink before pivoting on one paw and strutting onto the train. When he turned to look back at her, Judy was laughing as she waved.

The train door closed between them, but Judy didn’t budge. As the train slowly pulled away from the platform, she stayed, smiling and waving at him. Nick craned his neck to keep her in sight through the window, until the train hit a bend in the tracks and swept him away.

Quiet and alone, Nick found an empty seat towards the back of the car. He sat with a straight spine, shoulders back, and pulled the old neckerchief from his pocket. He ran his pads over the worn fabric carefully as the train cut it’s way through Zootopia into the outer districts, and toward his second chance.


End file.
